Between testing new varieties, testing current varieties and having our current land so far away from home I don’t really get a chance to garden for the family as much as I should. Our home garden is under massive development at the moment moving over 120 ton of soil to level a section of the garden and a small kitchen patch I’ve not really done much for the family for the past year – and to be honest I’ve missed it.
So when the opportunity arose for me to have an allotment plot from the local community council I jumped at the chance, not only will have an extended garden only minutes from home but I could at the same time tackle the question I get asked on a frequent basis of:
How to start a garden?
How do I start my allotment?
I just got a plot what can I plant?
I will be sharing my journey just as many of you have in the past and as many of you are about to by taking over a plot and getting some tasty crops out of the ground over the coming months and seasons. Hopefully it will help some of you, give you some ideas and guidance and of course I’ll be here as always to answer questions and problems you might have.
I think one of the most common things I see are people taking on a plot trying to do everything at once and then sadly leaving as the entire site becomes too much of a job or a project for them to manage – So I’m starting in the same boat as many of you. I could have set aside some spare land started a garden there but I think this will be a far more challenging project and will hopefully relate to allot of plot holders out there.
So let’s get into it.
This is my new plot I’ve taken over two vacant lots – dimensions I’m unsure of at this time but I hope to obtain a third soon. I was told these plots are overgrown and, yes they are with plenty of grass I’m sure this nothing compared to what some of you have taken over and it’s nothing compared to my very first allotment many years ago.
A real over grown site, this was my first allotment many years ago.
My plan for this site is to become a bit of a research environment for using no dig and permaculture techniques something I hope later on I can bring into the business. So this seems like the ideal time to experiment, learn and then scale the entire system up.
Permaculture the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.
As well as having grass to deal with there is a fair bit of rubbish left on the site from the previous tenant, as well as bath tubs – there is no running water on this site, nor is there a toilet.
The site it’s self is run by the local community council there are I think 20 plots in total so a very small and private allotment – I’ve been on sites where allotments go anything from 10 plots to well over 200!
As any allotment site rules are in place to protect everyone. No trees are allowed here, planning has to be put in place for all sheds, green houses & polytunnels, new water supplies, chickens and bees are allowed subject to planning.
You can see my children looking around the plot I’ve not let them go too far as I don’t know what is here, there could be a fork under that grass, broken glass, trip hazards, a pond or anything really you never know what to expect.
My plan with this allotment plot is to come back with a grass cutter, give everything a light cut to get an idea of what is under the grass, what problems I might have and what action I need to take. Either way I’m excited to get back into growing for me and the family and sharing this project and journey.